Black Nile II

Black Nile II

1971
Al Held (American). Black Nile II. 1971. Acrylic paint on canvas. Gift of Nancy M. and Donald F. Todd in honor of Dianne Vanderlip. 2010.457.
In Al Held’s "Black Nile" series, the geometric patterns break up the flatness of the canvas into impossibly converging planes. The black and white color scheme emphasizes the way the lines recede and advance, further distorting the two-dimensional picture plane. “We’re not going to get rid of chaos and complexity, but we can find a way to live with them,” the artist has said.
Artist
Al Held, American, 1928-2005
Born: New York, NY
Work Locations: New York, NY
Object
painting
Medium
Acrylic paint on canvas
Dimensions
height: 90 in, 228.6000 cm; width: 90 in, 228.6000 cm
Credit Line
Gift of Nancy M. and Donald F. Todd in honor of Dianne Vanderlip
Department
Modern and Contemporary Art
Collection
Modern and Contemporary Art
Accession Number
2010.457
Exhibition History
  • "Showing Off: Recent Modern and Contemporary Acquisitions"--Denver Art Museum, 5/17/2015 - 1/3/2016.

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